The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-07-16
can as they can possibly be, to keep

can as tney can possibly Oe, 10 keep
so.
There can be no need of my explain
ing to any American girl who reeds
Sunshine why she should be little
more American in July than in any
other month in the year or, if she
should not he more American in July
than at any other time in the year,
why she may tttlE and act little more
American now then at ether times.
The kind of girl Inn thinking OF and
talking to will be in no more danger of
her country's birth month
than she will be in danger of forgetting
her own bjrth-m0nih, or her mothers.
The month that has a birthday in il
will never be forgotten; there are too
many reasons for remembering births
days.
But may say word or two, per-
haps, in explanation of what mean
by advising American girls to be
American for some clever girl who
reads what l am writing might ask
how an American girl can help being
American
1 will imagine that this question is
asked, for it will help me to make
very ciesr how an American girl can
be truly American by showing how
she can not be American.
American girls can help being
American very easily they can be
very un- American without half try
ing. l shall not try to speak of all the
ways by which this very undesirable
reputation can be deserved; but there
are two ways which are so much to
T ,;ok>
speak Of them, and leave you to emu
merate others for yourself.
In the first place, then, you can be
very un>Amelican indeed, and become
more and more SO, and when you have
become just as un- American as you can
be, you can keep so by simply being
and rem aiming ignorant about your
country.
1t is q good rule about good things
that il you wish TO feel very little in
terest in them you must know very
little about them and if you wish to
have no interest at all, you must know
nothing. This rule holds particularly
good about the thing we call America.
The girl who wants to be I'M American
must know nothing about her country;
she can then feel no interest in it, and
il she has no interest she will have no
pride, no love, no Americanism. This
Is the first way to be un-Amerfcan.
In the second place, you can be very
uu- American, indeed, by being very
something else-very French, very
Italian, very German, or, alas "very
English" There is no better way in
the world 10 ALLEVIATE yourself from an
old friend or benefactOr than to DO dis
loyal to that person. The very best
way In the world for Il shallow girl to
lose admiration for one friend is to
compare that friend with another VINO
is more admired by every one else ::
who is s'the fashion," And, even if
she be not shallow, it is dangerous
ex pertinent, II she wishes to retain her
own self-respect and sense Of loyalty,
for any girl to expose a dear friend to
too much comparison with others and
to hear too much criticism from others.
It is good thing not to permit ones
self to do this at all. If your old
friend, your brother, your sister, your
mother, your father, is not so much
admired for surface qualities by people
in general, as is some new friend, that
is not your affair he or she is, after
all yottrs and yours to keep yours, first
and best, always and forever.
A very good way indeed to he
thought TO be un-American, and to
really become SO, is 10 compare your
country with other countries, with a
constant willingness 10 believe the crit
icism of other people which makes
America come ont Of tho comparison
second best. And then to initiate. as
much as possible, the manners and
customs of European countries; to
catch up all the foreign expressions and
'sairs" you can; in short, TO be just as
French or just AS English as you possi-
bly, can be. You will lose your sense
of loyalty toward your own land in
this way, and then you will find it
very easy to dislike Amer ica, just as
we poor sinners find it very easy, al
ways, to dislike everybody and every
thing which is reproach to us.
girl, is to be truly country-loving
girl; that Is to be truly patriotic; and
that is to love and honor and be ready
to serve her country at all times and in
all places. Plenty of times and plenty
of places will be found il one is looking
for them.
No American girl can possibly help
loving and honoring her grand country
If she knows anything about it. The
long thrilling story of its making from
first to last, from its beginning way
back in tho hearts of men, to its pres
ont growth and greatness, will sink
IL